January 1, 1887. 
THE GARDENING WORLD 
270 
were really so very seldom seen. Happily they are 
regaining all their original popularity, for we see them 
exhibited at the early spring shows in abundance in 
company with the lovely Daffodils, so well and largely 
shown by such firms as Messrs. Barr & Son, Mr. Ware, 
Messrs. Collins Bros. & Gabriel, and others. To give the 
reader some idea of the magnitude of these Anemones, 
I give an extract from a notice of an exhibit by the 
last-named firm at one of the earliest spring shows of 
the Royal Horticultural Society:—“They were so 
large that they reminded one of Single Poppies, only 
that there were present on the large rounded petals 
tints unknown in the Poppy.” The group consisted 
of over 500 flowers, and next to the size and brilliancy of 
the blossoms the visitor could not help being struck 
with their great variety.— J. 
-- 
ffARDENING IfoTES FROM 
^S cotlan d. 
Useful "Winter Plants. — While visiting 
several nurseries in and around the northern capital 
lately, we thought it a striking illustration of the 
times in which we now live, to notice the immense 
quantities of plants cramming glass structures, and 
under careful cultural attention, to meet the require¬ 
ments of a population whose taste for refinement is 
increasing more rapidly than the numerical statistics 
of the people. Palms in small pots, as well as large 
specimens, in great variety, suitable for cool or warm 
positions ; Draciena in quantity, many splendid seed¬ 
lings offered at ordinary prices ; Crotons are a spe¬ 
ciality, and colour equal to anything we have seen ; 
Ferns of most popular kinds ; Davallias and Adiautum 
&c., in great numbers. We know the value of all 
Davallias for cutting purposes ; they last better than 
most Ferns under the trying ordeal of gas and fire heat, 
and the peculiar shining green leaves are much valued 
for mixing with bright flowers. Ficus elastica and its 
variegated form are plants specially adapted for wear 
and tear, and are much sought after for room decora¬ 
tion, consequently they are grown in great numbers. 
Sericographis Ghiesbreghtiana, with its very fine foliage, 
still retains its popularity, and scarcely enough of it 
can be'grown to meet the wants of buyers. 
The foregoing, with many others, sell at remarkably 
low prices, and it must be the great quantity disposed 
of which can make it really worth while to raise such 
large stocks of such plants. The quantity of flowering 
plants at the present time, when seen in housefuls at 
this dull period, renders a visit to extensive glass 
nurseries very gratifying. But seldom do we see in 
such places old favourite flowering plants, such as we 
have treasured for a lifetime, as Euphorbia jacquinas- 
flora, Plumbago rosea and coccinea (with us these are 
a fine show of themselves at present, but do not suit 
well for cutting and transit) ; Rondeletia speciosa, a 
worthy old friend during winter ; Scutellaria Moccini- 
ana, a famous bright flowering plant for late autumn 
and early winter ; Thyrsacanthus rutilans; Libonias— 
Penrhosiensis is the best. These, which can be propa¬ 
gated and grown with so much ease from batches of 
young growths formed into cuttings are very accept¬ 
able, and make fine additions to the indispensable 
Poinsettias, Bouvardias, Gardenias, and Begonias, of 
which B. Ingramii, B. nitida and B. manieata are a 
host in themselves at present. 
Among the classes which are very suitable for cool 
structures, and which we have found useful with Chry¬ 
santhemums, specially so at present, are Eupatoriums, 
floribunda particularly, it being almost hardy ; Habro- 
thamnus of sorts—H. aurantiacus grown as standards has 
a grand appearance at this season, and is capital for 
cutting; Plumbago capensis is almost a continuous 
flowering plant; Sparmannia Africana, grown in yearly 
batches, and of such easy culture, is well worthy of its 
room in winter. It is not necessary to supplement 
Cyclamens, Epiphyllums, winter-flowering Ericas, 
Daphnes, Primulas (especially obconica), Coronillas 
and others so abundantly in flower at this seasoD, 
but rather to keep in mind a valuable class of 
plants which can be grown as easily as bedding stuff, 
at little expense, and flower at a season when such 
create admiration. Among the most useful items for 
cutting at present are leaves of the Gros Guillaume vine 
grown on a back wall in a vinery, as they are small and 
very beautiful for mixing with cut flowers.— M. T. 
Potato Judging by Agriculturists. —At a 
provincial agricultural show of cattle and roots, which 
I lately visited, quantities of excellent Potatos were 
staged, and in the different classes “Regents” carried 
off the “firsts,” and some cups too. One competitor 
has been the chief winner for a number of years—his 
Potatos, Regents, have always been the cleanest, 
soundest and of the finest form, but a number of kinds 
others than Regents, were passed unnoticed, and though 
of fine form and all one would desire in appearance for 
exhibition purposes, they had no prize. I ventured to 
ask a losing exhibitor why this happened ; he replied 
that they had not been proved in the district—the 
names were unknown and the quality had not been 
tested. It was remarked that no Potato equalled the 
Regent in this midland county of Scotland. I referred 
to splendid examples of Village Blacksmith in great 
abundance on the tables ; their weak points are “ the 
tops are not strong enough for field culture, and though 
of finer form than Regents, they were not such good 
croppers ” ; all and sundry seemed pleased with this 
manner of adjudicating. At the banquet some pithy 
speeches were made by intelligent farmers, and much 
which was adduced regarding deep tilth, &c., went far 
to endorse the remarks in your leading article, p. 243.— 
Caledonian. 
Herbaceous Borders. — These are so much 
valued where cut flowers are in demand that one is 
prompted to do our best to keep the roots in a healthy 
condition. Many plants are lost because the land in 
which they have been growing is deficient in drainage. 
The luxuriance of the growth in summer, while there is 
warmth and sun, is sometimes deceptive, leading the 
inexperienced to think all is safe for winter when the 
very luxuriant growth indicates the evil to be dreaded. 
A good drain along the front of the border or plots in 
which the plants are growing may be all that is neces¬ 
sary. The ground may with advantage slope to the 
drain, a surfacing of sandy soil, mixed with old Mush¬ 
room manure or leaf-mould, and a quantity drawn 
round the collar of each plant which is visible above 
ground, will do much to keep the plants in health by 
throwing off excessive wet from the crowns. It is very 
objectionable to cut unripened stems down close to 
the ground before they are quite dead. If digging over 
the surface is necessary—this operation is best per¬ 
formed by a fork—care must be exercised not to 
mutilate the roots. If pieces are spread about the 
ground, the border is rendered very unsightly by the 
mixing of species and creating general disorder. If the 
plants have become too large, the remedy is to lift 
them entirely, reduce the roots, and re-plant them in 
fresh soil. Light, poor and sandy borders may be im¬ 
proved with a good coating of rotted manure forked 
into the surface. Tritomas, Japan Anemones, and some 
others still in flower with us, are well worthy of pro¬ 
tection from winds. If spaces where patches of annual 
flowers have done service are to be filled with bulbs, 
the present time is suitable for planting them. A 
coating of light rich soil placed over the roots in process 
of planting will do much towards encouraging free 
growth and fine blooming when the season arrives. 
These notes are gathered from observations taken in 
damp cold parts.— Caledonian. 
- -» ;£< • 
The Amateurs’ Garden. 
Gardening Operations during the first week in 
January, especially out-of-doors, so much depends on 
the state of the W’eatlier, that it is difficult to state 
precisely what should be done owing to such changeable 
and unfavourable conditions. Pruning of fruit trees 
and bushes should be carried on when the frost is not 
too severe to cause cracking of the newly cut surfaces. 
The prunings having been cleared away, wheel manure 
on to the borders or plots occupied by such trees. This 
is best carried on during frost, or at least w'hen the 
walks are sufficiently firm to bear such operations being 
carried on without getting cut up. 
Pruning and Nailing of trees on walls should also 
be prosecuted with vigour, and this may be done if the 
soil is wet and in unworkable condition. Roses may be 
pruned with advantage, except those of a tender kind 
that are best left till all danger of spring frost is over, 
or if it is desirable to retard their flowering period. 
Planting may be done when the weather is open, 
but if this had been neglected in autumn through 
pressure of work or other causes, it had better be 
deferred till the temperature rises in spring. Alterations 
of many kinds may be effected at this time, such as the 
making of walks, regravelling old ones, making lawns, 
levelling ground, constructing rockeries, and all such 
work that may be forwarded before spring planting and 
seed sowing commences. 
In the Kitchen Garden the principal operations 
will be the clearing of vacant ground, the wheeling of 
manure when conditions will permit, and the digging or 
trenching of the ground. If the latter is of a clayey 
nature, or heavy, it will be greatly benefited by turning 
it up to the frost, either by ridging or rough digging. 
The pulverising effects of frost are well-known and of 
great importance in rendering the natural fertility of 
the soil suitable for the requirements of plant life. If it 
has not already been done, a store of such roots as 
Carrots, Parsnips, Jerusalem Artichokes, &c., should 
be made before frost puts a stop to their collection. If 
stored in sand in a cool place they are accessible in any 
kind of weather. Where desirable, sowings of Lettuce, 
Mustard and Cress may be made under hand-lights in 
frames, or in boxes to be placed in a warm house. 
In the Greenhouse or conservatory all summer¬ 
flowering plants, such as Fuchsias, Begonias, Pelar¬ 
goniums and similar things should be kept in the cool 
end of the house, or, better still, in a separate structure. 
They require very little water at this season, and, of 
course, tuberous-rooted Begonias none. Where flowering 
plants are desired, a temperature of 40° to 45° Fahr., at 
least, must be maintained at night, with a rise during 
the day. This favours the expansion of Camellias. 
Chinese Primulas and Cyclamens should be kept at the 
warm end of such a house, and placed as near the 
glass as possible to keep them sturdy and bring out 
their flowers. 
Snow Guards. —I am much afraid that many of 
your town readers, like myself, were caught napping in 
the early hours of Monday morning, and have paid the 
penalty, in broken glass, for neglecting the precaution 
of fixing guards to prevent the snow from shooting off 
the slate roofs on to the glass below. In my case the 
damage is considerable, and I am resolved not to suffer 
such a loss again if I can avoid it. I am recommended 
to have a weather board fixed along the guttering, and 
another suggestion is to use small-meshed wire netting 
instead. Can any of your readers, from experience, 
say which plan is the best, or suggest a better than 
either ?— Surrey. 
-—=->*<-*- 
HEATING GLASS STRUCTURES. 
Much has been said and written with reference to 
the heating of glass structures, and the inferences to be 
drawn from stated opinions are that, at the present 
time, wo are in rather a foggy condition about the 
whole business. In my time, and it has not been a very 
brief one, I have had to do with very many systems of 
heating, and have had, perhaps, about as much stoke¬ 
hole experience as most gardeners individually. Over 
forty years ago I had charge of one of the largest 
conservatories in the country at that time, and -which 
was heated by steam, the apparatus being regulated 
both by a water and a steam guage, the vineries and 
Peach houses being all heated by hot-water. Both 
systems, at that time, seemed to answer in the 
most satisfactory way possible ; the steam and other 
boilers were fixed several feet below the surface, but 
the stoke-hole had been properly drained, hence there 
Was no inconvenience either from spring or surface 
water, and those who construct glasshouses and fix 
boilers, should make ample provision for disposing 
of the surplus water. Should this be impracticable, 
and if these things are an indispensable luxury, why not 
devise means so as to elevate the whole structure—there 
being, as every one knows, plenty of space above—so 
as to obviate the difficulty ; but, in most cases, surely 
excessive surplus moisture can be disposed of by 
complete drainage. 
"With regard to the principle of the circulation of 
rarified air or heated water, I am not convinced by any 
theory that has been advanced that there is very much 
to complain about with regard to our long-practised 
system. It may be all very well in some cases to heat 
the roofs of the building, and a very special idea indeed 
is to suppose that we can by so doing effect the same in 
principle, as is effected by the great orb of day. To be 
